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Superluminal Drive Operating Procedures
There is another relevant article by Deltacell that conflicts with this one. Neither of these articles is more canon than the other, so use whichever one you prefer. Additionally, there's a Google Doc version of this article with better formatting. The Sierra-type Superluminal Drive is an Alcubierre drive rated to 250c, though it is capable of unsafely allowing higher speeds for a short period in an emergency. As an Alcubierre drive, it contracts space in front of the vessel and expands space behind it. Due to its complicated and sensitive nature, manual operation of the Sierra-type Superluminal Drive is prohibited to all but authorized personnel, and it is discouraged even then. Even when operated automatically, personnel should routinely monitor the drive for faults. This guide serves only as a guide to operating the Sierra-type Superluminal Drive. It is not intended to replace the education required to do so. To be authorized to operate a superluminal drive, one must pass AXIOM Academy’s Superluminal Travel Theory course and be an active-duty engineer in AXIOM or the UN Navy. For the safety of yourself and all other crew members, do not attempt to operate a superluminal drive without the necessary education. Starting Process For the Sierra-type Drive to start, the ship’s fusion reactor must be activated and output enough for a buffer of 300kW to power other ship components. The drive consumes 150kW when idle and up to 600kW at maximum usage. For information on starting the reactor, see the operation procedures document relevant to your particular reactor type. The Sierra-type drive can operate with the Planck and Zeful-type reactors. Power Configuration Navigate to the power distribution menu on any terminal with engineering control enabled. On the SL Drive panel, ensure that the computer is set to provide necessary power limited to 750kW. Be sure to select the “limit” option rather than “shutdown,” as the latter would irreparably damage the ship and its crew if the specified power level is reached. After the computer is configured to the above settings, press the “EXC” button next to them to execute them. Power will now be provided to the superluminal drive when the startup process is initiated. Pre-Startup Check On the drive control menu, ensure the following: *The power setting is set to idle. *The diagnostic and maintenance modes are disabled. *All safety overrides are disabled, and all limits enabled. *The drive control hash status shows VERIFIED. *The drive is sufficiently supplied with coolant. *Drive operation is set to automatic. Verify the following with your co-workers: *There are no reported power faults, including recent ones that have been corrected. *No maintenance is being performed on the drive, reactor, or power transmission. *The drive, reactor, and power transmission have passed a diagnostic check since the last performed maintenance. Drive Startup Once everything above has been verified, the drive startup process can begin. Permission from the Chief Engineer is required to proceed beyond this point. In the drive control menu, press the POWER button to supply power to the superluminal drive, then EXC to execute its current settings. The drive status should change to STARTING, and the event log will provide additional details. Power usage should be around 200kW during the startup process. The power usage at this time should not be more than 30kW disconnected from this figure. If any anomalies such as that ever occur, press SAFE STOP to safely shut down the drive. Unless an immediate shutdown is warranted, do not use EM STOP. Never use it when the drive is engaged. When the startup process has been completed, the status should change to IDLE, and power usage should decrease to around 150kW. Once again, the difference should not be any more than 30kW. It is not recommended to power a superluminal drive outside of use, as it consumes a large amount of energy. However, the drive should be run for at least 10 minutes daily to maintain rapid startup time. Superluminal Travel When a superluminal drive is at idle power, it is ready for superluminal travel, or “engagement.” To engage superluminal travel, permission is required from the Ship Commander and Chief Engineer. Course Selection First, press PLANNED COURSE in the drive control menu. This will load the current course set by the navigation staff. Verify that it is current and correct. Then, perform the pre-startup check once more. If it passes, proceed. Under COURSE, select the planned course. In an emergency without time to plan a course, select NONE. When no course is selected, the ship will proceed ahead with no course corrections. However, the planned course can be freely changed at any time. Power Setting When the course is set, change the power setting from IDLE to AUTO. This will give the required power to achieve the planned course’s set speed. If no course is selected, the speed can be set manually and the AUTO power setting will still follow it. Engagement To engage superluminal travel, press EXC to save the settings. Then, press ENGAGE to start superluminal travel. The status will change to ENGAGING and power usage will increase significantly. The operator will be warned automatically if any anomalies are detected, including power usage deviations. When the vessel reaches superluminal speeds, the status will change to SUPERLUM. The vessel will make adjustments to its speed and course according to the set course. The vessel should only remain at 200c for up to 6 hours, and at slower speeds logarithmically ranging from 8 hours to 3 days. When stopping to comply with these guidelines, the superluminal drive can be engaged after approximately 45 minutes. Power-Down Disengagement To bring the vessel out of superluminal speeds, press EXIT SLS to safely bring the vessel out of superluminal speed. Do not use SAFE STOP unless the vessel is unable to exit normally. Using EM STOP will destroy the vessel '''during superluminal travel.''' The ship can also automatically exit warp at the end of the planned course if the navigator adds an EXIT SLS command at the course plan’s end. Shutdown There are three ways to shut down the superluminal drive. The first is to change the power setting from IDLE to OFF and press EXC. This should only be performed upon completion of a diagnostic or when aborting a startup in its early stages. The second is to press SAFE STOP, which will safely shut down the drive over around thirty seconds. The third way is to press EM STOP, which is only recommended in emergencies that warrant an immediate drive shutdown. This should not be done when the ship is traveling at superluminal speeds. Category:FTL Category:Guides Category:Community-made